Trump and Ukraine. Maksym Sitailo explains what`s really happening in the U.S.

Trump and Ukraine: Possible scenarios for the future

The ongoing developments in the U.S. have sparked reactions among Ukrainian and European leftists. The controversy was fueled by The Atlantic`s article `Army of God Comes Out of the Shadows`. Once again, the topic of Trump and Ukraine is making headlines in Ukraine.

According to Ukrainian leftist experts, The Atlantic article has revealed all the ongoing processes in the U.S., exposed a major conspiracy, and held those responsible accountable. But what is really happening? Let`s take a closer look.

What accusations do leftists make against the U.S. ruling elite, led by Trump and Musk?

• They aim to strengthen the influence of Christian communities and leaders in the country`s political decision-making.
• They seek to expand capitalist principles and promote a freer market;
• They are working to downsize bureaucratic institutions and limit their functions.

What aspects of the U.S. system does the European left believe should be preserved-both in the U.S. and in Europe, including Ukraine?

• Churches and Christian communities should be confined to rituals Bible reading in their free time, while real decisions are left to the bureaucracy, which operates ” beyond religion.”
• “Render unto Caesar” is interpreted as allowing the bureaucracy to impose and allocate taxes at will, justifying its actions under the principles of “equality” and “social justice.”
• Bureaucratic positions control financial flows and wield real influence, regardless of who occupies them.

This is the “worldview gap” between us – the European left and the American right-wing establishment. You may ask: “what do Putin and the Muscovites have to do with this, and which worldview are they closer to? In my view, in this context, the Muscovites worldview is irrelevant. We`ll delve into this later, but for now, let`s focus on Trump and Ukraine.

So, the new American elite aims to:

1. Enhance the influence of the church in public life;
2. Dismiss the misleading and flawed principles of `equality` and `social justice` in favor of expanding capitalism and the free market;
3. Reduce the dominance of unaccountable bureaucracy.

This is deeply unsettling for European and Ukrainian elites, as such a “right-wing revolution” threatens to strip them of both power and real influence.

Why do European elites oppose Trump?

1. Why does bureaucracy clash with the Church? The Church operates based on the Bible and Christian principles, while bureaucracy resists being bound by any principles, let alone a book written a thousand years ago. Even if agreements can be made with church leadership on profitable yet morally questionable actions, there is always the risk that a “righteous monk” might emerge and start `stirring things up`, reminding everyone of the Bible and the Commandments. This creates significant discomfort and obstructs policies related to inclusion, abortion, tolerance, and more. Most importantly, it dispruts access to funding for all these `programs`.
2. The free market and capitalism also pose challenges for bureaucracy. In a capitalist system, wealth is distributed through voluntary agreements, reducing the need for excessive bureaucratic structures. As officials often say: ` We understand that lowering bureaucracy and taxes would make life easier for entrepreneurs ans boost business activity, but would we (bureaucrats) do then? We would lose control. Socialism provides the ideal environment for bureaucracy. In socialist systems, material wealth is redistributed through coercion, with government officials and institutions controlling the process. Unlike in capitalism, where economic outcomes depend on individual effort, socialism centralizes decision-making within bureaucratic structures. Naturally, bureaucracy justifies its dominance by promoting the ideals of `equality` and `social justice`. But is true or social justice even possible in practice? Efforts to enforce equality often lead to even greater inequality and injustice. Ironically, those who advocate most for these ideals are often the ones who benefit from them the most. Interestingly, Ukraine`s 500-hryvnia bill features Hryhorii Skovoroda along with his famous phrase: `Unequal to all equality`.
3. In the United States, Elon Musk’s team identified 2.2 million bureaucrats and over 6 million contractors, many of them were engaged in redistributing taxpayer money, creating unnecessary projects, and inventing new roles for themselves – such as fighting climate change or promoting gender equality. These officials were dismissed, cutting off their access to public funds, which naturally sent shock-waves through the European bureaucratic system. Ukraine, too, has over 1 million bureaucrats, though only 160,000 are officially registered as civil servants. This vast bureaucratic apparatus is controlled by anonymous ministers, deputy prime ministers, and European commissioners whose names are easily forgotten because the hold little real significance. Their positions, however, come with power, infrastructure, and access to public budgets – regardless of who occupies them.

Trump aims to disrupt the status quo for Europe and Ukraine, much like Milei in Argentina. This has escalated tensions between left-wing Europe (which includes us) and the right-wing forces in the United States. It was precisely this challenge that U.S. Vice President Vance referred to in his Munich speech when discussing internal threats within Europe. In other words, this is not merely a Trump-Ukraine issue – it`s a broader geopolitical shift.

As for the Muscovites, I doubt anyone in the United States seriously consider their ideology. The are largely seen as a menacing horde, tasked with punishing those who deviate from the `reghteous path` and align with leftist movements.

Leftism and atheism are seen as sources of weakness, and if we fail to embrace a source of strength, we risk being consumed by the advancing horde – first Ukraine, then the rest. Perhaps this is their strategy to exert influence over Europe, which they view as drowning in leftist ideology and morel decay. Only when confronted with an existential threat can true purification occur.

We cannot be certain of the true intentions of the current U.S. leadership regarding Europe and Ukraine – whether it seeks their destruction or transformation. However, if Europe chooses the path of strength, if can overcome all threats even without U.S. support.

Maksym Sitailo

Telegram: @maxsitailo

founding member of the Christian Patriotic Platform,

entrepreneur, conservative economist